Machine for finishing leather



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

R. L. SMITH AND G. SMITH, OF STOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING LEATHER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,792, dated January 10, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, R. L. SMITH and C. SMITH, both of Stockport, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Finishing or Polishing Leather; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, ref erence being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a sect-ion of our invention taken in the line 00, m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a section of ditto, taken in the line y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a machine whereby the length of the stroke or vibration of the tool, as well as the pres sure of the same on the leather, may be regulated with the greatest facility, the face of the tool also kept parallel with the face of the bed over which the leather passes, and the latter fed by an automatic mechanism evenly and with a regular movement to the tool.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention we will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a horizontal bed, which is supported at a suitable height by a proper framing B C, is a metal plate secured transversely on the bed A, at about its center. The plate C, may be of cast iron.

D, is a frame composed of four vertical posts a, which pass through the bed A, two posts at each side of it, and are allowed to move freely up and down, the lower ends of the posts having circular tenons or guides Z), which fit in the lower longitudinal bars of the framing B. At the lower part of the frame D, there is a transverse bar E, to which one end of lever F, is connected, and the opposite end of this lever is connected with a vertical screw G, which passes up through the bed A, and is surmounted by a hand wheel H, see Fig. 2. The upper part of the frame D, has two traverse bars 0, attached to it, a space being allowed between to serve as a guide to a tool stock I, which will be presently referred to. The parts a, a, at each side of the bed A, are connected by traverse bars d, and between each pair of parts a, a, at their upper parts a slide J, is placed and fitted between suitable guide plates 6, 6, each slide having a spring bearing on its upper surface, which springs have a tendency to keep the slides at the lowest point of their movement. In each slide J, two rollers f, g, are placed. The upper rollers f, are of bi-conical form, as shown in Fig. 2, but the lower rollers 9, have the faces of their peripheries parallel with their axes.

K, is a bar which is fitted, and works between the rollers f, g, and consequently extends transversely over the bed A. The upper surface of this bar is of double inclined form corresponding to the form of the peripheries of the rollers f, the lower surface of the bar K, is grooved or recessed longitudinally to receive the edges of the rollers 9, see Fig. 2.

The tool stock I, previously referred to, is a vertical bar which passes through the bar K, and has its upper part fitted between the traverse bars 0, c. The lower part of the stock 01' bar I, is recessed to receive a cylindrical tool L, which is of metal and has its axis 7L, fitted in metal bearings 2', i, which are fitted loosely on forked guides j, at each side of the tool said guides being attached to, or forming a part of the tool stock L. The bearings z, 2', may be secured at any desired point within the scope of their movement by means of set screws 70. To the axis is, of the tool crescent shaped stops Z, are attached which prevent it from casually turning.

The bed A, at one side of the plate C, is slotted at right angles with said plate, and the upper part of a nut M, is fitted in said slot. The lower part of the nut M, is fitted on a screw rod N, placed longitudinally underneath the bed A. The upper part of nut M, has a screw button m, fitted to it by which the skin or leather may be attached to the nut M.

To one side of the framing B, two horizontal bars a, are attached, the outer ends of said bars being supported by uprights 0. The bars a, are grooved at their inner sides longitudinally to form guides for a cross head N, to which one end of a connecting rod 0, is attached. The opposite end of rod 0, is connected to a rack P, which is fitted to a crank Q, and has a pinion p, gearing into it, said pinion being attached to a shaft 9, which passes longitudinally through the shaft 1, of the crank Q. The shaft g, having a crank s, at its outer end. The rack P, is allowed to slide freely on the crank Q, and may be fitted thereto in any proper way to admit of such result. The cross head N, is connected to the tool stock I, by a rod R.

The operation is as follows: The skin or leather is placed on the bed A, and secured to the nut M, by the screw button m. Motion is then given the shaft 1", by any convenient power, and the tool L, is moved back and forth over the skin by means of the crank Q, connecting rod 0, cross head N, and rod R. The length of the stroke of the vibration of the tool L, may be varied as the dimensions of the skin may require by turning shaft 9, thereby moving the rack P, through the medium of the pinion 79, and virtually lengthening, or shortening the crank Q. As the tool L, vibrates the skin is fed to it by the rotation of the screw shaft N, which is turned from shaft 1'. The shaft N, moving nut M, to which the skin is attached. By adjusting the bearings 70, 7a, the face of the tool L, may be kept perfectly parallel with the surface of the skin, and plate C, over which the tool works with the skin between. The pressure of the tool on the skin is regulated by turning the shaft G. The arrangement of the bar K, and tool stock I, insure a steady movement of the tool L.

In the ordinary machines the surface of the table is composed of wood; upon which the skin will slip unless moistened. By having the bed covered with metal C, the skin is retained without slipping and the time and labor of moistening is saved.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. The combination of the polishing tool L, with a horizontally moving stock I, and bar K, arranged and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The arrangement and combination of the vertical feed regulating screw G, lever H, and bar E, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The arrangement of the 7 horizontal feeding nut M, screw N, and shaft as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

4. The combination with the crank Q, and rod 0, of the movable rack P, pinion and shaft (p), (9), whereby the length of stroke of the polishing tool may be changed at pleasure.

ROBERT L. SMITH. CORNELL SMITH.

W'itnesses:

Mosns E. THOMAS, JACOB SMITH. 

